Screencasts


Screencasts are a digital platform for recording videos of whatever is on your screen, you talking about what is on your screen and then sharing the video with others. Screencasts are done most often to show others how to do something digitally they may not have known how to do.

Rather than reading instructions, doing a screencast can lead a person through visual instructions where the viewer can follow along at the same time making it a great venue for disseminating information. 

Screencasts in education:
  • Students can record themselves giving presentations of their digital work.
  • Teachers can give tutorials or instructions for learning. 
  • Mentors or instructional coaches can create self-paced professional development. Allowing teachers to access and learn when 
 Screencast in the library:
  • Offering PD to teachers on library resources or new tech tools to implement.
  • Helping other librarians with OPAC reports as well as creating tutorials for technology applications they may not be proficient in. 
  • Creating videos for students showing them how to access Library resources online.
    • OPAC
    • Databases
    • Library Website

I have used Screencastify as my main recording tool. I am able to use their free account which allows you to record videos for five minutes at a time. Sometimes that five minutes is never enough but then I think of the attention span of our viewers and if five minutes is just the right amount. You can pay for a subscription that will allow for unlimited time and more editing abilities. Screencastify is a Chrome extension so you would add it to Chrome and then any video you create gets saved into your drive which allows you to quickly share with anyone. You also have the option to download the video or upload to your Youtube channel. 

Here is a Screencastify I created for my parents and students to show them how to get access to our school district’s reading assessment program at home. 

                                  

Screencast -o-matic is another casting option you may want to look into. Offering all the same options as Screencastify but with the free version you get up to 15 minutes of recording time and you can add a few things like background sound. Of course, there is a subscription option that will give you way more features and collaboration tools. You also have to download the program to your computer since it is not a Chrome extension. 

Here is a Screencast-o-matic I created for my students to show them how to write a review in our OPAC system for the books they have read. 

                                 

Either screencast platform is great to use and honestly, I plan on using both. Try them out and make the best choice for you. 


Comments

  1. Cassie LackeyMarch 28, 2020 at 3:41 PM

    Your screencasts offer helpful information that I was actually able to learn from myself. I did not know how to create a review in Destiny so this was very useful information. I prefer
    Screen-o-matic because it allows you more time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kara HarperApril 28, 2020 at 11:32 AM

    I like Screencast O Matic...thinking I am going to use that one more and work with colleagues on some of the collaboration features.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kelly CunninghamMay 4, 2020 at 11:05 PM

    I like Screencast-o-matic, too. I agree that screencasts don't need to be super long. I kept trying to get my screencast under 10 minutes and it wasn't easy! However, if it's something that is for students, that needs to be the goal. And thanks for the example. I knew there was a tab for reviews in Destiny, but I didn't know how to make one myself.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Never heard of it? It's okay, you aren't the only one. I was introduced to Universal Design for learning through my SHSU assignments and research. Universal Design for Learning is an educational framework providing guidance for educators in designing lesson goals, materials, methods, and assessments to improve learning in the classroom as well as meet the diverse needs of all students. Goals of Universal Design for Learning include: Here is a great informational video to help you gain more understanding of Universal Design for Learning: This concept of teaching reminds me of the SAMR Model  & utilizing the 4Cs . A s part of a cohort of teachers in the Visionary program , our school district has us try to adhere to the SAMR Model and the 4Cs when creating learning experiences for students. I feel that I have touched on some of the same concepts and practices as I would in Universal Design for Learning through those models.  What am I already using/do...
Read more
Image
Final Reflection This semester has been a whirlwind of crazy but also a great learning experience for me.  I thought I was pretty tech-savvy before this course.  I know that we live in an always-changing world so the things I tried way back then maybe different now. I was not wrong and I can see why teachers tend to shy away from new programs. For this course, I was at 90% familiar with and 10% had no clue. It was a great learning experience that left me with so many ideas for use in the library and the classrooms.  I am a mom to a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, and I had to work late to get things done because my days were soon taken up with online lessons and no time for me. Thanks, Corona Virus! Sometimes I was just overwhelmed with learning all these programs but other times I felt like a pro because I had already done something with them in my teaching. Thanks,  VIP program ! I was pretty excited to show my classmate and partner new ways to present inform...
Read more